Scabs

When I am visiting offices in my area I sometimes run into a Non-Union Letter Carrier. When talking to them they give me their reasons for not being a member of our Union. The real reason is they refuse to pay their fair share. They’ll take any pay increases the Union negotiates for letter carriers but they fail to pay union dues. They also take other benefits the Union got for them, including the right to bid by seniority, vacation and sick time, retirement, health benefits, etc…, but they refuse to pay any dues.

I understand carriers are frustrated lately, on how they are being treated by Management, but that is no excuse for not being a union member. This weakens our great Union. The only one benefitting is Management. It makes Management stronger.  Non-members hurt us all.  Every non-member who doesn’t pay his fair share the rest of the carriers will be affected. We all joined our great Union to make our jobs better.   

Besides all that the National Union does for us, here is what Branch 6000 does here on Long Island:

·       Branch 6000 has 8 officers who handle all kinds of situations that come up, from filing grievances to representation at arbitrations.

·       Branch 6000 provides shop stewards in a station who are elected by the members. Stewards file grievances when needed to insure that Management treats us fairly when it comes to safety issues, bidding, bumping procedures, etc…

·       Branch 6000 is constantly speaking with our Congressional Representatives and Senators in Congress, about important issues that affect letter carriers.

·       Branch 6000 has a worker compensation officer to help Union Letter Carriers who are injured on the job.

·       Branch 6000 has a Director of City Delivery that conducts route inspection classes when Union members are going through route inspections in their stations.

·       Branch 6000 has an NALC Health Benefit Representative that assists Union Letter Carriers who have the NALC Health Benefit Plan.

·       Branch 6000 has a Director of Retirees that assists Union Letter Carriers when they prepare for retirement.

·       Branch 6000 has monthly Union meetings open to all Union Letter Carriers that keep them informed of important information.

·       Branch 6000 has a newspaper, (LIMB Leader) sent to all Union members 8 times a year to help educate all members with important information.

·       Branch 6000 has a Credit Union open to all Union members offering savings accounts, checking accounts, ATM’s, IRA’s, Loans, etc…

·       Branch 6000 gives out 3 annual scholarships to a Union member’s child to help with their college education. The Branch 6000 Credit Union also gives out 1 annual scholarship.

·       Branch 6000 has an eyeglass plan and dental plan available to all Union members.

·       Branch 6000 has an education fund to train our stewards and to keep them informed of important information to better serve our members.

These are some of the benefits a Union Letter Carrier receives. We all need this Union. Without the membership, there is no union. Without it, all of the above and more will be gone. Those who do not belong to the Union hurt us all. If everyone thought like them there would be no Union. Management would love to lower our wages, reduce our health benefits and retirement, and anything more to hurt us.

The Supreme Court gave us the right to call Non-Union members a SCAB. Don’t become a SCAB. If you don’t like how Management is treating you fight to change it. Become a steward or alternate steward, attend union meetings, and get involved with your Union!!

NEVER QUIT AND NEVER GIVE UP!!!!  WE NEED THIS UNION!!!!!

Be safe and keep smiling.